Judge halts clearing of rare forest targeted for Walmart
Source: Associated Press
Updated 11:10 am, Saturday, December 9, 2017
MIAMI (AP) Bulldozers downing trees on a property targeted for a Walmart-anchored shopping center were ordered to stop work after a federal judge issued an emergency injunction sought by environmentalists fighting to save the vanishing forest.
The judge issued the injunction Friday, hours after the Center for Biological Diversity and three other groups sued to overturn a decision earlier this week that cleared the way for the mall, 900 apartments and a parking lot. The land near Zoo Miami had long been targeted for conservation and is part of what was once one of the largest tracks of pine rockland, a globally imperiled forest, outside Everglades National Park.
In her ruling, Judge Ursula Ungaro said the plaintiffs showed a likelihood of winning their case and that ongoing work could cause irreparable harm.
"We are elated," said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director for the Center for Biological Diversity, which filed the suit with Tropical Audubon, the Miami Pine Rockland Coalition and the South Florida Wildlands Association. "The judge's order has given these plants and animals and the residents of this community an opportunity for their day in court, an opportunity to have justice upheld, and a fighting chance at survival."
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Judge-halts-clearing-of-rare-forest-targeted-for-12418356.php
Stuart G
(38,428 posts)paleotn
(17,923 posts)But other than the glades, I didn't think there was much of south FL that wasn't paved over already. Glad to hear it's not. Haven't been down there since the mid 70's.
Judi Lynn
(160,542 posts)Whoever wants to destroy it should be tarred and feathered, and dropped into the nearby swamp.
More images of the pine forest:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrTcX1WjyxakrQAP7.LuLkF;_ylc=X1MDOTYwNTc0ODMEX3IDMgRiY2sDZWFlcjdmOWNnbDI5ZyUyNmIlM0Q0JTI2ZCUzRGZFVE9PSzFyWUgzS3VfNWJGaWk4THF3a19jX3JYc19ya1E2azM1dGQ0N2NwM1EtLSUyNnMlM0RkayUyNmklM0R2c0hZUXVReHdsOWFrcmhmY3VfdQRmcgMEZ3ByaWQDRlZaSGtzdzNSc09hd1lRcFNNbmVLQQRtdGVzdGlkA251bGwEbl9zdWdnAzAEb3JpZ2luA2ltYWdlcy5zZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDBHFzdHJsAzQ0BHF1ZXJ5A3BpbmUgZm9yZXN0IG91dHNpZGUgZXZlcmdsYWRlcyBuYXRpb25hbCBwYXJrBHRfc3RtcAMxNTEyODY5NzIyBHZ0ZXN0aWQDQjUwOTQ-?gprid=FVZHksw3RsOawYQpSMneKA&pvid=vWn5UTEwLjLlO2d6WQqJMASjMjYwMgAAAABuLWX0&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&p=pine+forest+outside+everglades+national+park&ei=UTF-8&iscqry=&fr=sfp#id=7&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fc1.staticflickr.com%2F3%2F2268%2F2263058133_03c1751bf9_b.jpg&action=close
Piney woods I remember as a kid. I agree with you for anyone who wants to pave it over!
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)Tall mountains covered with a mixture of pine trees and Joshua trees.
Weirdest combination of vegetation I have ever seen.
whathehell
(29,067 posts)We need some good news.
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)it's only going to get lower. Why anyone wants to build new stuff there is beyond me.
trusty elf
(7,394 posts)eppur_se_muova
(36,266 posts)Last time we visited the area, it was all houses and tourist businesses. Wildlife is f*cked.